In director Baz Luhrmann's rehabilitation of the movie musical, penniless writer Christian (Ewan McGregor) travels to Paris in search of love and inspiration.  When the “Children of the Revolution,’ a motley group of 19th century artists, drop in on him (quite literally), they discover that he is just what their musical, “Spectacular! Spectacular!,” needs – a poet  who embodies their Bohemian ideals.  They take their production to notorious nightclub/brothel Moulin Rouge, where Christian finds the love and inspiration he seeks in the form of beautiful courtesan Satine (Nicole Kidman).  Disenchanted with love and aware that her favors are promised to the Duke who is to finance the show, Satine is reluctant to return the young poet’s affection. Inevitably, his charm and pure heart win her over, and what follows owes as much to the myth of Orpheus as it does to Elton John, U2 and the myriad pop standards Luhrmann weaves into the movie’s libretto.

Luhrmann’s kinetic vision and sumptuous lense  reinvigorated a long-dead cinematic form. More significantly, the director’s hyper-stylized, everything-but-the-kitchen sink approach dismissed a decade of self-conscious irony without apology, opting instead for the kind of unfettered belief that had previously seemed irretrievable. As Christian woos his world-weary beloved, so Moulin Rouge won over audiences accustomed to cynicism and skepticism with the simple credo “all you need is love.”

essay by Kevin Rolly
panel discussion following the screening: Craig Detweiler